Page:The Imperial Gazetteer of India - Volume 10 (2nd edition).pdf/479



ORISS:1. 467 where. The known deaths from diarrhea and dy: entery and other similar diseases increased greatly. It is feared that the unknown deaths must have been still more numerous, for persons could not reach the annu-chhatras or relief depôts, to which alone they looked for support. most of the low-lying lands, the biuli or autumn rice crop, which would have been reaped in another week or fortnight, was almost entirely destroyed, and the young cold-weather crops suffered niuch from protracted immersion. Although new relief centres were opened, yet in several cases it was found quite impossible to supply those already opened with rice, owing to the boats front l'alse Point being unable to make way against the powerful current that then came down; and at several centres operations were altogether suspended. The result of this was a great aggravation of the already existing distress; for those who were congregated at the centres found, when the stock of rice ran out, that they were cut off by the floods from other aid, and many died from sheer starvation." In September there was some relief, not only by the greater sion and better supply of the feeding-centres and sale depôts, but also from the ripening of the small carly crop of rice in tracts which had escaped the flood. At best, however, the distress was still but a degree less than before ; rice still sold at 6, and even 5 sers for the rupee; and it may be doubted whether the results of previous suffering, joined to its present continuance, and the effect of unaccustonied food on those who were much reduced, did not increase the distress, 'In November the new crop began to come into the market in considerable quantity, and then the general famine may be said to have come to an end. The people returned to their avocations, leaving only the very emaciated, the orphans, and the widows. Considerable distress, however, still existed in the unfortunate tracts which had suffered a second calamity by the floods of August, particularly in the Kendrápára Sub-division; and in these, relief operations were continued for some time further. Medical Aspects.—The climate of Orissa is the same as that of Southern Bengal, and may be divided into three seasons, the hot, the rainy, and the cold. The hot season commences in March and lasts till about the middle of June, the rains last from the middle of June to October, and the cold weather from the beginning of November till the end of February, The Meteorological Department has two stations in Orissa, -one at False Point lighthouse, and the other at Cuttack town. In 1881, the maximum temperature at the former was 103° F. in April, and the minimum 49° 8' F. in January; at the latter the maximum was 109° F. in April, and the minimum 51° 8' F. in January. At Cuttack town during the four months of March, April, May, and